


Vader: *Dramatically Groans*

by Kevlar01



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Force Ghost AU, Force Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi, I have a beta but I keep posting chapters before they can read them., I'm going to stop doing that eventually., M/M, Obi-Wan is a little annoyed at Vader for killing him, Palpatine did not anticipate this, Palpatine is a creepy even older dude and has Problems and even Vader knows it, Rating May Change, Sideous Swears, Suitless Darth Vader, Vader's lightsaber only hates him a little, obikin, short chapters currently, that might change who knows not me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24555919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kevlar01/pseuds/Kevlar01
Summary: Force ghost AU where Vader just wants to coax that ghost back to do his tricks and get funny with him.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Darth Vader
Comments: 13
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

Obi-wan snickered as he pushed Vader’s table approximately 2 inches to the left. He considered letting that be the only trick he pulled tonight, but then, the man he was currently hoping to irritate _had literally killed him_ , and Obi-wan figured he was within his rights to yank Vader around at least a bit more. So, when his eyes landed on the saber laying on the nightstand next to Vader’s bed, Obiwan did the only sensible thing. He hid the saber and vanished into the force, tamping down on the unbridled glee coursing through him before Vader sensed it and woke up.  
Vader awoke late into the day cycle. He groaned, but sobered quickly as he sensed the lingering presence of…. whatever… had taken to frequenting his quarters. His blood chilled as he noticed his missing saber. Sideous was going to actually kill him this time if he was late to the command meeting, and there was no way he was going without his saber. Five minutes later, he wasn’t feeling as sure. His eyes snapped to his table, noticing that it seemed to be a bit off. His skin prickled as he pushed it back into place. Whoever, and they had to be a who, no random manifestation of force energy would pick such specific things to move and/or _hide_ , was clever, and seemed to know how to push Vader’s buttons. The sith sat back on his bed and reached out with the force. He needed to find his lightsaber, and calling out to the crystal within would be the fastest way to do that. The corrupted crystal no longer sang to him, but screamed. It was a horrible, wrenching sound, but it did help Vader pinpoint the location of his saber. He pulled it towards him with the force, only to have it smack him in the face as it came flying out from behind the bookshelf on the other side of the bed.  
_For the love of--_ dramatically groaning, Vader flopped backwards onto the bed. He could sense that this was going to be a long day. He sat up a moment later, and made his way to the command center. Sideous’s hologram was already waiting for him. The room was empty besides Sideous’s form, and Vader wondered if Sideous had been able to manipulate the call to answer itself, or if one of the underlings had answered it and been sent away. It had been many years since Vader had become Sideous’s apprentice, and Vader knew he still didn’t know the full extent of the, let’s face it, most of the time, downright creepy man’s power. Mentally crushing the thought, Vader kneeled before Sideous. “What is your bidding, my Master?”  
“Lord Vader.” Sideous drawled, and then snapped, “Get your ass off the floor boy, we have shit to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidious: "I've got plans."
> 
> Vader: *yawns* "Yeah what else is new."
> 
> Sidious wears fluffy purple slippers while on holocall with Vader.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Force Ghost Obi-wan centered. A bit of an exploration of how force ghosts work for the purposes of this AU.

Death hadn’t been what Obi-wan expected. “One with the force, you will be.” Yoda had said. That was not adequate preparation for the experience of becoming one with the force was like. He had had a physical, but limited presence in the galaxy. Now, he had an ephemeral, but infinitely stretching _awareness_. Boundaries of an organic body were no longer a concern or a default. It was taking some getting used to, Obi-wan mused. Though, he supposed, since he no longer had a brain, he was no longer actually _thinking_ but simply being. There was no longer a past, present, or future. Everything was constantly folding in on itself, molding, changing, reaching out, collapsing, expanding, exploding-- Obi-wan stopped himself from getting too drawn into the rest of the force. He had to admit, the whole thing was a little overwhelming, and the pull to integrate the energy that he called “his” with the rest of the force was strong. Obi-wan wasn’t sure if “he’d” ever come out from that, or if he did, what would happen. The more he resisted, and kept his sense of self, the easier it became to be assured in his new inherent formlessness. 

Obi-wan was now the force. Or at least some of it. He was glad for his Jedi training, as he quickly discovered he could still call on the rest of the unifying force (the part that wasn’t made up of physical matter, or force-souls) to manipulate his environment. That part had been easy, but at first, it had taken all his strength to literally keep his sense of self and individuality intact. It was like using a muscle. The more he used it, the stronger it became, and eventually Obi-wan did not have to put as much effort into being himself. Relaxing did not automatically mean being pulled into the overall infinity of the force as it had before. He had wanted to relax. To let everything go. The force had whispered comforts, there would be so many familiarities within. So much to explore and do, but not as he had ever explored and done before. **But** , the force had said, **it will be hard to maintain your connection to what you have left behind. Consider this, Obi-wan Kenobi, find your balance. How will you unify yourself?**

_I still don’t feel particularly “unified”_ , Obi-wan thought, but the choice he had made, to _be_ one within the force this way, had stuck, so he must have had enough conviction that the rest of the force approved. Since he had figured out that he could still manipulate wherever he chose to be, through placing certain limitations on himself, such as location, and time, Obi-wan figured he could use the same ideas to give himself something of a form, or at least a voice. There was one man that needed a reckoning, and now that Obi-wan _was_ the force, he knew without coursing certainty that he was going to be instrumental in this force-mandated trolling of one Darth Vader.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan doesn't totally understand what is going on, but he's figuring it out. (Substitute "I" and "I'm" for Obi-wan and you will also get a true statement lol)
> 
> All the force is confirmed out to get Vader. Vader just doesn't know it yet. It's what happens when you are taking too long to balance everything out like the force wants you to.


	3. Chapter 3

Vader returned to his quarters after his meeting with Sideous, only to find that _everything or at least, he was pretty sure it was everything, had been moved out of place somehow. Vader heard a thump, and his eyes flew to the bookcase where a volume had just plummeted to the floor. _Life and Death: A Sith Guide To Controlling Each_. He lost it. Sideous had been condescending and as unfathomable as ever, and all Vader had wanted to do was get back to his quarters so he could meditate on his recent victory/loss that had been the Death Star incident. “Whoever you are, I know you’re there!!” Vader shouted. There was no reply. He could sense a presence. It lingered this time, as it had done other times, but there was nothing to define it. Vader ran one mechanical hand over his face. He felt like a padawan again, and that was something he had been determined to leave behind, all those years ago. The feeling of being young, and trapped. A pawn. Moved about regardless of his own show of competency. Always destined for something, to be a slave, to be a Jedi, and the path he thought he had truly chosen, to be a Sith, had been mapped out before him as well. _The Jedi were of no real help to me! Even Obi-wan, his support, all of it, was to push me towards something I didn’t know better than to want to be! How could I have said no? I couldn’t have! I still can’t._ Vader leaned in the doorway as his thoughts broke free of the place he had hidden them away nineteen long years ago. He looked out across the room, and felt his anger burn bright once again. How dare the force try to send him another master!! He let out a yell and everything in the room was knocked out of its already displacement by a burst of dark side energy. “There.” Vader said. “It’s all wrong now. I made it so. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?” The perceived void of the room did not answer him._

_Obi-wan sensed and saw Vader’s newest anguish. He was taken aback by Vader’s outburst, but found that part of him had been expecting it. Wanting it even. To see Vader suffer as Obi-wan had suffered. Just a little. Obi-wan scowled darkly to himself. To want others to completely understand your feelings was normal, but to be completely and entirely understood at all times on the deepest level possible was simply unrealistic. Clearly, he was not going to get anywhere further than angry outbursts by playing petty tricks. Satisfying as they were, they were going to need to be more purposeful, at least until Obi-wan figured out how to give some indication of himself to Vader. _I never truly saw him._ Obi-wan realized, _Even when he was my padawan, and a knight still by my side, I knew his path would be different. But I thought that it would end in the same place that mine would have, similar to how mine did._ Guilt threatened to overwhelm him. Obi-wan pushed it back. _I did what I did, and I am what I am now._ Obi-wan told himself. _I have chosen to come back to him, because I still see the potential for him to become his own person, and I want him to realize that he is not stuck on this path or that path, as I should have told him outright years ago. He is more than what he can offer in service to ideals that should have been rewritten long ago._ Obi-wan thought resolutely. _But first, that karking bantha-spawn is going to get it pounded through his skull that his problems cannot be solved by **killing** the people who get in his way. And I must find Qui-Gon._ Obi-wan thought._

__We have some unfinished business._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan is about to Go Off. He has finally realized that he should not have pushed doctrine so hard, but also that Vader is a bitch. And that the other Jedi were too focused on "fulfilling the prophecy that may or may not be true oh which is it we dont know!" to really be tuned into what Anakin would have needed from them. 
> 
> Vader might be tormented by his own personal ghosts, but he still does not get decent human being status and probably won't ever, but he's maybe gonna start actually trying again in a way that is healthier for him. And Obi-wan is going to yell at a shit ton of people on his behalf.
> 
> This chapter was me trying to get to the part where I can have Obi-wan stick it to Qui-Gon.
> 
> *And I apologize if the formatting comes out weird.... AO3 seems to be taking my italics and misplacing them... Will attempt to fix but not right now. (Apparently it is also posting a previous note and I also don't know why that is.)


	4. Chapter 4

The force slithered in inky tendrils through Sidious’s mind. The dark lord of the Sith sat in his throne room on Coruscant, pondering, as he did all too often, his apprentice. “Vader.” Sidious drawled to himself, his voice scraping through his throat like gravel. _Why must the stupid boy have his midlife crisis now? He is of no use to me unless he is capable of traveling to dangerous planets that I do not want to visit. That is the whole point of having an apprentice_!! Sidious glowered as thoughts of his days as Darth Plagueis’s apprentice came back to him. He had scooped so much Ack dog poop it wasn’t even funny. Why the wealthy Muun had chosen to keep pets at all had eluded Sidious, but he had been a dutiful apprentice and cleaned up after Plagueis’s pets. He did credit his success in keeping Vader on such a close leash for as long as he had to the Ack dogs. _It took quite a bit of power from the dark side to persuade those beasts to follow my command. I learned how to do it subtly too, to layer the currents so Plageous wouldn’t catch me doing it._ Sidious thought with a wry “smile”. _Running errands for the master is a valuable training opportunity for an apprentice, and this is an important errand indeed_ .

Sidious grabbed hold of a vine of dark energy and spun it around in his mind. Yes. The secrets that Plagueis had managed to keep hidden up until his death by Sidious’s hands were on the planet Tython. A planet strong with both sides of the force, full of ancient Jedi and Sith paraphernalia. However, it was also absolutely _coated_ in dangerous lifeforms and Sidious was not about to go anywhere near _that_ if he could avoid it. And even with Vader suddenly acting as if he were being haunted by a ghost, a simple retrieval/destruction mission shouldn’t be out of Vader’s capabilities. Sidious’s apprentice was supposed to have been The Chosen One, after all. He rolled his eyes. “Pah!” Sidious held up both his hands and mimed two Jedi. “He’s the most dangerous Jedi ever!” Mocked Sidious. “Strong with the force, young Skywalker is.” Sidious said in his most ridiculous Yoda voice. “Idiots. Vader was the most dangerous Jedi, but only because he was so easy to MANIPULATE.” laughed Sidious. Lounging back in his throne, his eyes gleamed as he thought of obtaining a new holocron.

Obi-wan had retreated into the force after his last encounter with Vader. Everything existed at once again, and Obi-wan knew what he needed to do. He reached out through the force and sought the signatures of the beings he wished the speak with and pulled them towards him. 

“How did you do that?” said the commanding voice of Mace Windu. “Obi-wan? What is this?” Qui-gon, and several other council members were also drawn in. Obi-wan gazed stonily at them, ignoring Mace’s questions. He felt what he supposed would have been a twinge in his heart at the sight of his former master. There was much he needed to say to Qui-gon. But first, Obi-wan addressed all of the spirits he had called together. “I’ve forced this meeting of the council because of Vader, and who he once was.” Obi-wan stated. Ki-Adi Mundi quirked an eyebrow. “Skywalker has chosen his path, and it is that of the Sith. There is little to discuss, Master Kenobi.”  
“Yes,” Mace agreed, “He is clearly not who we thought he would be.” Qui-gon, to his credit, remained silent.

Obi-wan’s eyes narrowed. “If you all would _listen_ for once, and may I point out, _like Anakin said_ , maybe, he would still be with us, the Jedi would still be around, and the Sith would be vanquished. Or _maybe_ the prophecy was a misinterpretation of a premonition of the force, and it is not possible to achieve perfect balance. Or Anakin would have shown us all how to become more balanced and brought peace not through eradication but through helping beings to grow!!” Obi-wan’s voice had been growing steadily louder through the force, and the images of what could have been were being pushed through to the other masters. Visions of Anakin, not a Jedi, but something else. A teacher, a giver, and no longer afraid of his imperfections. Obi-wan could feel the others flinching away from the scalding images he was pushing upon them. He anchored them to their points in the force. They weren’t getting away from this. They needed to see, and open their minds. 

Shaak-Ti broke through the onslaught first. “Master Kenobi, this is all very touching, and of course we wish that things had gone differently for Skywalker. If I may ask, what is your point?” Obi-wan sighed. An imitation of the physicality of rubbing his face with his hands permeated the force. “The point, Master, is that we were wrong. We were all very wrong.”

Vader sat on his bed, finally having a moment of peace in what he had correctly predicted had been a very long day. He considered trying to coax the spirit back, but he wasn’t sure what he would do if he managed it. The force seemed out to get him these days, and Vader was exhausted anyways. He forced himself to think of the mission to the planet Tython that Darth Sideous had given him to complete. His master had not been very specific in what he actually wanted Vader to do, other than the vague instruction of “bring back anything of note, and destroy the rest.” along with “oh, and try not to lose the rest of your flesh.” Vader still smarted a little from that one. He’d improved as a swordsman and literally beat Obi-wan into the ground the last time they fought. Sideous had said Tython was a planet loaded with the force, both the light side and the dark. Vader wondered how they had continued to exist in tandem for so long. The last time he had seen both sides of the force together the dark had murdered the light and the father had wanted Vader to stay.... He shook his head and focused on the other details. He assumed he would be looking for Sith artifacts as well as Jedi ones, retrieving the former and destroying the latter. _Well_ , he thought _at least it isn’t Korriban_. Laying down on his bed, Vader sank into blank sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidious needs Jedi order finger puppets. Maybe he can get one of his Red Guards to acquire some for him.
> 
> Obi-wan will be back to trolling Vader after he gives a stern talking to to a certain someone.


	5. Chapter 5

Obi-wan released his hold on the presence of the other masters. All of them, except Qui-gon. A miasma of emotions rolled through him at the feel of his old master. Long buried grief, relief at guidance that could be sought once more, stewing anger that Obi-wan had almost forgotten. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to slap the man or hug him. Though they had never had the deepest of connections, they had been close.   
“Obi-wan…” Qui-gon’s voice echoed, and Obi-wan cut him off. “Master. I am glad to see you. Really. But I would like to make it very clear that your decisions have continued to exasperate me, right up to our current situation.” He paused, considering all that he had to say, and what he was willing to let go. He opted for a question. “Why did you not wait to go after Maul?” Obi-wan did his best to squash the urge to plague his former master with “what-ifs” and “this-could-have-happened-instead-but-no”. Everything that had happened had happened and there was no changing it now. The best he could hope for was reasoning, though he doubted he would get the justification he sought. The force caved in around Qui-gon in a heavy sigh. “Padawan…” Obi-wan cut in again, unable to help the spark of irritation at the title, “You don’t have an answer, do you? Did you even consider the consequences? Or was “following the living force” in that moment so important that you forgot about the wellbeing of the people who _needed_ you??” Obi-wan felt Qui-gon’s blink. “I was your padawan. But you were willing to let me go to train Anakin almost as soon as you saw him. Then again you were ready to let us both go when you saw the Sith.”

“Obi-wan, I don’t think I can say anything you haven’t already thought.” said Qui-gon, trying to placate his former apprentice. “Well why don’t you give it a try? After all, you’ve had more time to devote to the subject than I have. I’ve only been dead for a short while as it stands.” Obi-wan retorted. “And yes, I know I’m not technically “dead”, so don’t bother with the lecture on how I’ve joined the currents of the living force. I’m well aware, seeing as I am currently still _aware_.” Qui-gon waited a moment before speaking, wary of Obi-wan’s sudden wrath. “I was doing what I thought was best at the time. Do you think I would have made a better teacher for the boy? Did I truly have anything left to teach you? I had given you what I could. It wasn’t as much as I would have liked, but you seemed to be doing fine on your own. The sith was part of something bigger than all of us. I couldn’t just let him go, in the same way I couldn’t just let Anakin be a passing glimmer of light.” Obi-wan let his presence press down on Qui-gon, allowing his feelings to bolster him. “I don’t know master. There was a time where I would have said yes, without hesitation that you would have been a better teacher for Anakin. I still think someone could have done better, or maybe if I had had more support.. At the time I can tell you that yes, I still had much to learn, and at that point it was still _your responsibility_ to make sure that I learned it!! I don’t know if it would have helped me with Anakin, but I feel that I could have been better! I am still learning. I know we all are, but I needed more. As small as we are as individuals, we do still ultimately make up the galaxy. The larger flow of life will always be bigger and greater than we can fully comprehend. I could have come to terms with it if you had taken Anakin as an apprentice. It would not have taken me long to figure out that I still would have had you for at least 4 more years until Anakin had enough basic training to more safely go on missions. But I never got that chance! You left us the moment that sith arrived, and yet, it made no difference except on the lives of myself and Anakin. Maul came back, master. And you know we did not discover his master until it was too late.” 

Qui-gon had stiffened in the force. “I don’t know what you want me to say Obi-wan. I did what I felt was right, and whether it was or not… is not for me to say.” Obi-wan practically snarled, “Yes, you thought it was right, but was it _justifiable_??? You couldn’t explain it then and you can’t give me a real reason now. I spent a good portion of my life trying to make myself worthy. Of you, of the order. Anakin did the same but look what happened!” The force was prickling at Obi-wan uncomfortably. Obi-wan realized what he was doing and made an effort to rein in his feelings of anger and helplessness. It would not help anyone to play the blame game with Qui-gon now. Too much time had passed, and at this point Obi-wan was firing random shots into space. He would not stoop to that. If Qui-gon couldn’t see the hurt he had inflicted, nothing Obi-wan could say, wild or not, would make it happen. “I am sorry, Obi-wan.” Qui-gon said. Obi-wan let out a breath of calm into the force. “I will accept that you are, master. I do not blame you for everything, nor were all the events that followed the consequences of your doing. A lot was life as it was, but some was influenced by your actions, and I still sometimes wish that they could have taken a different course.” Obi-wan felt Qui-gon’s careful agreement. “I sometimes wish the same padawan. But I hope that you know that you became far more than I could dare hoped, and that you always would have. I hope you can take pride in what you did do.” Obi-wan felt the force quiver like an eyeful of unshed tears. “It’s hard.” he said. 

Later, after Obi-wan and Qui-gon had parted ways, Obi-wan mulled over their interaction while inhabiting Vader’s quarters. He wasn’t completely sure why he had chosen to come here for respite, though he supposed the environment had the benefit of being somewhat familiar in feel. Obi-wan idly wondered if Vader would be back soon. He didn’t feel like messing with him at the moment, but it would be nice to share the same space again. Obi-wan let his awareness spread out through the ship as he relaxed, though he was careful to keep himself from being too noticeable. Sideous was out there somewhere. Not on this ship, but it seemed likely the sith lord would be able to sense a wayward ghost if he wasn’t careful. It wasn’t hard to keep himself within the folds of the force, the only limits he had placed on himself were those of time and a little bit of space. Obi-wan was brought back to the current reality when the door hissed open and Vader entered the room. Vader stalked forward on his metal limbs, which seemed a bit stiff to Obi-wan. The man paused halfway to his table and took stock of the room. “You’re back.” He said. Obi-wan did his best to push confirmation into the force. “Do I get to know who you are now?” asked Vader. “Otherwise I’m just going to call you “Ghost That Fucks With My Stuff”” Humor radiated from Obi-wan. There was no way Vader would put that much effort into saying the full name every time. He had never possessed the patience. Obi-wan attempted to form words, but found them turned around and pushed back at him instead of them taking the form of waves that would reach Vader’s ears. Vader must have felt something though, as his presence in the force lifted slightly, still waiting, but hopeful. Obi-wan wanted to grumble in frustration. But he anchored himself further in the moment, grasping at stability, and as a fleeting afterthought, the frayed ends of the training bond he had shared with Anakin. 

“Obi-wan?” Vader recoiled mentally. The slight brush of this force presence had been like a shock to a raw, frayed nerve ending. He reached out, seeking without remembrance of past events, to Obi-wan. He opened his mind to the force. Not seeking out the dark, as he usually did now, and got a headful in response. _**WHAT WERE YOU THINKING????**_ Vader winced. Yep, that was Obi-wan alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're back and Vader and Obi-wan actually exchanged a few words this time!
> 
> Obi-wan wants to slap the hell out of Qui-gon.


	6. Chapter 6

_What were you thinking?_ Obi-wan’s words echoed in Vader’s mind. What had he been thinking? But more importantly, exactly which instance was Obi-wan referring to? Vader was pretty sure he knew, but he reached out with a question anyways. **You know very well which instance**. He felt Obi-wan’s response deep in his soul rather than heard it, and rather than try to respond with words, he did his best to maintain the connection and dug into the feelings of assuredness and compliance in the dark side that he had constructed over his doubts and desperation. Obi-wan’s presence remained steady for a moment and then started to waver, dissipating all too quickly. Too quickly for Vader to try to grab hold and also cover back up his emotional vulnerability. 

“Kriff,” Obi-wan cursed to himself as the multi-task of keeping himself in one place and communicating got to be too much, “at least he seems willing to let me in.” Finding Vader’s place again, Obi-wan opted to simply observe for awhile.

“Carabast.” Vader looked around the room, even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to see Obi-wan, even if he was still present. His mind whirled, trying to puzzle out how to get Obi-wan to come back. What if he was gone forever? Vader had thought he was gone forever before, but this was different. Suddenly, he remembered an old holovid he had seen as a padawan about the four humans who drove a funny looking ground speeder. They had trapped ghosts, and wasn’t that what Obi-wan was? He knew the vid was supposed to be fiction, but since ghosts apparently did exist it stood to reason that they could be trapped. Obi-wan appeared to be a manifestation of specific force energy, and Vader figured he just needed something particularly appealing to lure him back with. The dark side thrummed with power as Vader continued to think about trapping Obi-wan. Something hit Vader in that moment. Normally, the dark side was a river all too easy to slide into, but he had a feeling of wrongness coming from.. somewhere. He decided to stop thinking of Operation Manifest Obi-wan as a trap and the wrong feeling went away, replaced by surety. He could do this. He could get Obi-wan back. 

“If I were a force ghost, what would I want?” Vader asked himself. Food probably wouldn’t work, though Obi-wan might appreciate the gesture. He remembered not being able to find his lightsaber the other day, and how it was the item the presence, apparently Obi-wan, had moved the furthest. Perhaps Obi-wan was able to form a deeper connection to the kyber within. As he paced his quarters, Vader’s gloved hand went to his saber. He looked down at it, head suddenly snapping up as he remembered that Obi-wan’s lightsaber was here somewhere. He hadn’t destroyed it, claiming to Sideous that he wanted to study it beforehand. That would be the bait, he decided. Even if Obi-wan was hesitant about visiting Vader himself again, he would surely be enticed by his lightsaber. 

Vader placed his old master’s lightsaber on the table, and walked over to his bed, planning to wind down by meditation. Something he had gotten better at doing as the years passed. He contemplated taking off his boots and gloves. He no longer had flesh to free there; it was a habitual gesture at most, and he didn’t feel like being reminded of all he had lost right then. Instead, he opted to only take off the outer tabards and belt of his tunic. Enough to lay down comfortably. He stared up at the ceiling, and then looked out the window into space. Leather covered metal hands cradled the back of his head as he drifted into the force. Not seeking, as he usually did, but being. It might be easier for Obi-wan to come back to him this way. 

Obi-wan felt Vader’s presence drift further into the force. He reached out to try and pull him in further. It would be easier to communicate with Vader if Vader was the one meditating. At least for right now. _I could consider manifesting in Anakin’s world a form of reverse meditation_. Obi-wan thought to himself, as he narrowed in on Vader’s consciousness. _Oh no. I now have less experience with meditation than Anakin. Though I suppose this might be the original reason why it was focused on as much as it was in the temple. I’m just glad that he finally seems to be able to do it. A perk of the dark side perhaps. The only perk_. Grumbled Obi-wan. He found what remained of the training bond and gave it an experimental tug. A rush of surprised hope came through. Obi-wan wasn’t sure if this particular bond could be fixed, but perhaps it could be the grounds for building something new, and stronger than the original, if all went according to plan. But first, he needed to see if Vader was open to getting to know the force again.

“Anakin?” Obi-wan asked. The force grew cool with caution. Vader turned his mind towards the source, not without feeling a stab at the long buried pain from that name. He decided not to call Obi-wan on it. Darth Vader was more of a title than a name. He was connected to his sith persona, but only when he was trying to be. Once the missions, the orders, his master, and his connection to the dark side were stripped away, he was just a person. He wasn’t sure if he could still be Anakin Skywalker, but he also wasn’t sure what else Obi-wan should call him so he let the matter be. “Obi-wan?” He called, tentatively probing further into the force. “I’m here Anakin. And you can’t kill me so don’t even bother trying.” Vader’s jaw metaphorically dropped, he aged 10 years, felt like a child again, felt his soul leave his body for a moment, and then everything slammed back into place. “Master.. You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

“No. No I will not.” Vader felt Obi-wan, still good natured towards him even after all that had happened, though he had to wonder what feelings his former master was covering up, laugh at him. The force around him became flushed and foggy as he tried to squash down his embarrassment. Really, it was embarrassing that Obi-wan could still embarrass him at this point.  
“Also, I am not “drawn” to certain items. While I appreciate that you kept my lightsaber, it is only something I made while I was bound to the world in an organic form.” Vader groaned. Obi-wan had apparently seen his intentions and had probably been laughing at him the entire time. “Master, is pointing out all of my less than solid decisions of the past few weeks how you intend to punish me for taking your life?” Vader asked pointedly. “Oh, so it’s punishment you want is it?” asked Obi-wan in an innocent tone. Vader felt the force heat up around him. He was going to find this man’s essence and smack him. In his meditative state, all of Vader’s emotions were laid bare and it felt like Obi-wan was taking him on a hyperspace pinging route through all of them. He did his best to clear his mind and waited for Obi-wan to speak.


End file.
